The World Travel Market is the premiere travel-trade event in the world. With governments pointing to travel as a means of increasing growth there also comes a need for tour organizing, country image and branding schemes. The World Travel Market (WTM), hosted at London's ExCel, will unite leading market players from six continents during four days of intensive meetings, seminars, and social networking opportunities.

Heading into its second decade of existence, WTM has grown into a leading travel and tourism industry gathering in the world today, second only to the International Tourism Exchange ITB in Berlin. The event attracts tens of thousands of travel industry professionals - including national tourist offices, airlines, industry organizations, tour operators, hotels, cruise lines, technology companies - representing over two hundred countries and regions.

Beyond the hundreds of long-established exhibitors, this year's global business event will play host to a number of new participants. This includes, for example, new to the even will be Bosnia and Herzegovina that will market their cultural, natural and historical attractions as 'Europe's hidden secret'. Tourism officials will highlight destinations and events such as the medieval Old Bridge in Mostar, the picturesque Tara Canyon, Sutjeska National Park and the internationally acclaimed Sarajevo Film Festival.

Following a four-year hiatus, Gibraltar, located on the tip of the Iberian Peninsula, will also attend the market with budding developments in both the hotel and leisure infrastructure and the tourism-related entertainment industry.

China - the business and travel world's newest make-or-break player with scorching development opportunities gets a special spot during this year's WTM with a one-day conference on Wednesday, November 14. The conference, dubbed the WTM ChinaContact forum, aims to unlock and analyze the cultural differences, market potential and future outlook of the emerging 'Tiger' nation for international businesses.

"As the world's attention turns firmly to focus on China, no travel organisation can afford to miss this rare opportunity for real knowledge and networking with Chinese travel professionals," says Fiona Jeffery, World Travel Market's Managing Director.

November 14 also marks the WTM World Responsible Tourism Day, a one-day eco-friendly initiative co-organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Dedicated to responsible tourism, the day's discussions focus on issues connected to environmental protection, sustainable development, and corporate and social responsibility.

"It means the international travel industry can show en masse that it is actively making a difference in protecting environments, respecting local cultures, supporting local communities, conserving natural resources and minimising pollution," explains Jeffrey, adding that "There's no industry in the world better placed to embrace a day that highlights the issues related to environment and corporate and social responsibility."

World Travel Market
Dates: November 10-13, 2008
Venue: ExCeL London
Address: 1 Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock
City, Country: London, United Kingdom
Telephone: [44] 0.158.0201.178
Website